§ 27. Mr. MORGAN JONESasked the Secretary of State for India what is the total amount received in respect of collective fines imposed on Chittagong and certain Midnapore villages; and for what purpose the amount so received has been allocated?
§ Sir S. HOAREI have no later figure for the amount collected in the Chittagong area than that given in reply to the question asked by the hon. Member for South-East Leeds (Major Milner) on the 13th February, but the latest reports received by me state that collection is proceeding slowly but steadily. In the Midnapore district fines amounting to Rs.4,720 were imposed between August and November of last year but I have no information as to the amount that has been collected. These fines would ordinarily be credited to the general revenue of the province, but there is power to award compensation from them to persons injured in person or property as the result of the unlawful acts leading to the imposition of the fine.
§ Mr. JONESDoes the right hon. Gentleman not consider that the time has come to arrest the exaction of these fines from a community large numbers of whom are entirely innocent of any wrong doing at all?
§ Sir S. HOAREThere is a very obvious way in which the process of the fines can be arrested, and that is for the civil population to help us to arrest the terrorists.
§ Mr. JONESIs there any reason to suppose that these innocent people have any more knowledge as to the whereabouts of the terrorists than the right hon. Gentleman's own officers?
§ Sir S. HOAREYes, I am afraid that we do think that among the civil population there are certain people who do know a great deal about the terrorists.
§ Mr. JONESIf the right hon. Gentleman knows who are concealing these offenders, why does he not deal with them?
§ Sir S. HOAREI have great faith in the Governor of the province, Sir John Anderson; his experience in these matters is unrivalled; and I am prepared to leave the operation of this process in his hands.